TJC hopes to offer a second Bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Technologies and Medical systems

Tyler Junior College is working on adding another Bachelor’s degree to their growing list of degrees. President Michael Metke, Ph. D and others are working on getting the new degree program passed by the state.

Last year Tyler Junior College launched a new Bachelor’s program in Dental Hygiene. According to recent news reports from The Texas Tribune community colleges can know offer Bachelor’s Degrees in their schools.

This decision was made to both increase the number of students with Bachelor’s degrees and to fix the state’s shortage of registered nurses.

Last year Tyler Junior College launched a new Bachelor’s program in Dental Hygiene.

TJC has already started working on another Bachelor’s Degree in Healthcare Technologies and Medical systems.

The TJC staff started the process back in July when the board of trustees voted unanimously to start putting together a degree plan for a Bachelor of Applied Technology degree.

The degree will focus on the software systems and technology involved in operating a hospital or other medical related businesses, Dean of Curriculum and Compliance Dr. Lisa Harper said in an interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph in July of this upcoming year.

Juan Mejia, Ed. D said the decision came from looking at what programs are needed by the industry and region that are not being offered by the regional four-year colleges. He also said the school has no plans to become a full four-year university.

The graduates of this program will be able to provide valuable expertise in healthcare systems management, finance, medical staff roles and responsibilities, reimbursement mechanisms, the electronic medical record, privacy issues, and legal issues related to the healthcare industry.

In 2015-2016, TJC’s graduation rate for its medical programs were the second highest overall at 294 graduates in Associate’s degrees and 296 graduates in Undergraduate certificates as of last year. This only being beaten by their Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities program at 458 graduates in Associate’s degrees.

TJC’s Medical Laboratory Technician Program currently has a three-year average of 90% Board of Certification pass rate, a 100 percent graduation rate, and a 93 percent placement rate as determined by guidelines from the National Accrediting Agency.

The school is wants to make programs that can act as a bridge towards the graduate level classes of the local universities that offer medical degrees such as UT Health Northeast and the University of Texas at Tyler.

“Those collaborative partnerships are what sets us apart in East Texas,” Harper said.

This degree directly relates to the master’s degrees at both UT Tyler and UT Health Northeast, with the former having a degree in healthcare administration and the latter having a degree in public health.

Harper said the degree will open pathways to a wide range of careers in technology and administration for the health industry.

The school hopes to have the program outlined by early October and the launch date is set for fall of 2018

I am very excited at the possibility of reaching a Bachelors degree in TJC. Especially in the medical field, it’s tough enough to earn an Associate’s then transfer to a more expensive school to obtain a Bachelors. If this all works out, it’ll be a major milestone for this institution.

I am very excited at the possibility of reaching a Bachelors degree in TJC. Especially in the medical field, it’s tough enough to earn an Associate’s then transfer to a more expensive school to obtain a Bachelors. If this all works out, it’ll be a major milestone for this institution.